Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Zanmusundance’

ABSTRACT

A  chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Zanmusundance’ characterized by its medium sized blooms with yellow ray florets and prolific branching; natural season flower date October 6–10; blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium Ramat., and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar denomination ‘Zanmusundance’. ‘Zanmusundance’ is a product of a breeding and selection program for outdoor pot mums (garden mums) which had the objective of creating new chrysanthemum cultivars with a double type inflorescence, a natural season flower date October 6–10; blooming for a period of 5 weeks. ‘Zanmusundance’ is a seedling resulting from the crossing of female parent id 15069 and male parent id 4917. Plants of ‘Zanmusundance’ differ from plants of the female parent in growth rate; those of the seedling show a higher rate. Plants of ‘Zanmusundance’ differ from plants of the male parent in the color of the ray-florets; that of the male parent is white, while that of the seedling is yellow.

The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected as a flowering plant by Wilhelmus Bemardus Blom on a cultivated field in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in 2005. The first act of asexual production of ‘Zanmusundance’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were used from the initial selection in 2005 and propagated further in a controlled environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. The new cultivar has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum is shown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true as possible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

FIG. 3 shows the various stages of foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown out door in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands under natural day length and temperature and planted in week 22 in 2008. The natural blooming date of this crop was October 6–10. The average height of the plants was 30 cm. No growth retardants were used. No tests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. No tests were done on cold or drought tolerance. This new variety produces medium sized blooms with yellow ray florets blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivar in comparison to ‘Zanmusundance’ is ‘Zanmusundown’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/314,959). When ‘Zanmusundown’ and ‘Zanmusundance’ are being compared the following difference is noticed: The difference of ‘Zanmusundown’ and ‘Zanmusundance’ are (1) Plant size. And (2) Flower color. (1) The plants of ‘Zanmusundown’ are smaller than those of ‘Zanmusundance’ (2) The flower of' Zanmusundown are more deeply yellow colored than those of ‘Zanmusundance’.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish ‘Zanmusundance’ as a new and distinct variety.

The color designations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, any discrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted in the photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart used in this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, edition 2001.

TABLE 1 Botanical Description of Chrysanthemum xmorifolium Ramat. ‘Zanmusundance’ Bud Size Small; cross-section 0.6 cm, height 0.5 cm Shape Oblate Texture Pubescent Outside Color Greyed-green 191A Phyllaries Number 25-28, arranged in 3 rows Shape Elliptic Apex Acute Base Truncate Margin Entire Color Upper side Greyed-green 191A Lower side Greyed-green 191C Length and width 3 mm; 2 mm Texture Pubescent Inflorescence Type Double Height 0.5 cm Diameter 4 cm Peduncle length 4-6 cm Peduncle color Green 138B Peduncle diameter 1 mm Peduncle surface Pubescent Number per branch Approx. 7 inflorescences Flowering period individual Ca. 4 weeks inflorescence Seeds Produced in small quantities, ovate, Greyed-brown 199A, length 1.5 mm, diameter 0.8 mm Fragrance Faint chrysanthemum odor Color Center of inflorescence (ray- Immature stage: Yellow 13A florets) Mature stage: Yellow 13A Color of upper surface of the Yellow 9A ray-florets Color of the lower surface Yellow 8A of the ray-florets Tonality from Distance A garden mum with yellow inflorescences Color of the ray-florets after Yellow 9D aging of the plant Ray florets Texture Upper and lower side smooth Number 140 Shape Elliptic Apex Pointed Base Obtuse Cross-section Flat Longitudinal axis of Straight majority Length of corolla tube 3 mm Ray-floret margin Entire Ray-floret length 1.3-1.5 cm Ray-floret width 5 mm Ratio length/width Medium Disc florets Disc diameter 1 mm Distribution of disc florets Scarce, only visible in mature inflorescence Shape Tubular Color Yellow 11D at apex, Yellow-green at 150D at base Number 3-4 Length 0.5 mm Diameter 0.3 mm Receptacle Shape Conical raised Height 5 mm Color Green 138C Diameter 4 mm Reproductive Organs Androecium Present on disc florets only Stamen length 3 mm Stamen color Yellow-green 144A Anther color Yellow 3A Pollen Not observed Gynoecium Present in both ray and disc florets Style colour Yellow-green 154C Style Length 3 mm Stigma colour Yellow 7A Stigma Width 1 mm Ovary Enclosed in calyx Plant Form Grown as potmum, outdoor raised and mounded Growth habit Spherical shape Growth rate Medium Height 30 cm Width 45 cm Stem Color Greyed-brown 199A Stem Strength Weak Stem Brittleness Brittle Stem Anthocyanin Coloration Not observed Internode length 1-2 cm Length of lateral branch From top to bottom 15-17 cm Lateral branch color Green 137C Lateral branch diameter 2 mm Lateral branch brittleness Brittle Branching (average number Prolific with 9 breaks after pinching of lateral branches) Natural season blooming date October 6-10 to November 10-14 Foliage Leaf color Upper side: Green 139A to Green 139B Lower side: Greyed-green 191B Color midvein Upper side: Yellow-green 147D Lower side: Yellow-green 148D Size Small.; length 1.5-4 cm, width 1-2.5 cm Quantity (number per lateral 15-17 branch) Shape Elliptic Texture upper side Sparsely pubescent Texture under side Pubescent Venation arrangement Palmate Shape of the margin Entire to serrated Shape of Base of Sinus Acute Between Lateral Lobes Margin of Sinus Between Diverging Lateral Lobes Shape of Base Acute to truncate Apex Mucronulate Petiole length 2-5 mm Petiole diameter 2 mm Petiole color Yellow-green 147D

TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison variety ‘Zanmusundance’ ‘Zanmusundown’ Plant height 30 cm 25 cm Plant width 45 cm 40 cm Color inflorescence disc Yellow 13A Yellow-orange 15A Color upperside ray-florets Yellow 9A Yellow 12A 

1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant as described and illustrated. 